Resistant hypertension
- Failure to reach goal BP in patients taking full doses of an appropriate 3-drug therapy regimen that includes a diuretic. Reasons include
- Improper BP measurement
- Drug-induced
- Nonadherence (e.g., due to drug side effects, finances)
- Illegal drugs (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines)
- Inadequate drug dosages
- Inappropriate combinations of drug therapy
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Sympathomimetics (e.g., decongestants, diet pills)
- Oral contraceptives
- Corticosteroids
- Cyclosporine and tacrolimus (Prograf)
- Erythropoietin
- Licorice
- Some chewing tobacco
- Selected over-the-counter dietary or herbal supplements and drugs (e.g., ma huang, bitter orange)
- Associated conditions
- Increasing obesity
- Excess alcohol intake
- Identifiable causes of secondary hypertension
